to. And the apostle's mind may go further bllCk to the stonin" at Lystra when he was left for dead (see Acts xiv. 19). It bas been remarked that " the Ja~o-uao-e is obviously more vividly descriptive of the collapse of illness than of any othe":- p~ril."' The point to which we now direct attention is that the sufferings imperilled life and brou:~ht him to the full contemplation of death-brought him to the" border-land;" and he gives the Corinthians some account or his feelings and experiences at the time, and tries to estimate some of the spiritual results then attained. They are these- I. A FEELING OF SELF-HELPLESSNESS. Man never feels that fully until he faces death. He knows that no resolution, no energy, no sacrifice, can ensure his "discharae 0 from that war!' He can do nothing, and that most humiliating conviction may be a part of our necessary experience, Somewhere in life we need to be brought up before a crreat sea, with mountains around and foes before, much as Israel was when led forth from Egypt. It is good for us to feel helpless, utterly helpless, and then to hear the voice saying, "Stand still, and see the Blllvation of God." II. DELIVERANCE FROM SELF-TRUST. Some sort of reliance on ourselves is necessary in order to meet the claims oi life aright, and do its duties faithfully. Some measures of self-reliance blend with the Christian's trust in God all through his life of activity and service. Seldom, indeed, are full surrender to God, and entire conformity to his will, and simple reliance on his care, really won; and the experience of nearness to death alone breaks away the last bonds binding us to self, and enables us to "trust wholly." Life, after visiting the "border-land," may be wholly the "life of faith upon the Son of God." ill. FULL CONP'IDENCE IN THE CONTINUING AND ABOUNDING OF DIVINE GRACE. This follows from so extreme an experience of what "almighty grace can do." Short of the experience of death, we may doubt whether "grace" can meet ns at every point of our need; whether there really are no complications of circumstances which may over- master grace. A man may say-Grace can meet many needs, but not just this condition or this particular frailty. A man brought back from the "border-land" has won an impression of God's power and mercy that enables him to look forward to life and feel that God's efficient grace can be with him everywhere and in everything. It is St. Paul, who "had the sentence of death in himself,'' who was a personally delivered man, and who spoke of God as being able to mo.ke all grace abound towarJs u~, so that we, having all sufficiency in all things, might abound unto every good word and work (eh. ix. 8). Death is the climax of a.II human woes, and he who can deliver from death cnn master all our tronbles and "make all things work together for good." Iu concluding, show that the sanctified influence of his extreme experience may be seen in the tone and spirit and manner of the Christian thus brought back from the "border- lancl ; " but that thero is great danger of misusing even such Divine dealings with us, as Hezekiah seems to have done. A man restored from imperilling sickness may presume on the very mercy which ha.~ been so gloriously manifested in his case, We Hhould take as our model such an experience as that of the Apostle Paul.-R. •r. Vers. 11, 12.-The gracious influence of prayeifulness and sympathy on suffering souls. The apostle wanted his friends to know of bis sufferings so that he might have- I. THEIB SYMPATHY IN THE TROUBLES. Very tenderly beautiful is the wny in which St. Paul, while turning to God for his great consolations, yet yearns for tho sympathy ol' those among whom ho laboured. He liked to ho.vo some of them with him. Ho was a most brotherly and sympathetic man, and could neither suffer nor rejoico alone. In this he illustrates what is the great want of all warm natures; they yearn for sym- pathy, and we may render noble service who can give such sympathy in response to them. It is help and healing for stricken ones that wo can " weep with those who weep." II. Timm PRAYERS FOR BIB PRESERVATION, A man in trouble longs for the feeling- at which men may easily scoff, but which is nevertheless a most real and helpful feeling- that he is upheld by the prayers of those that love him. None of tho difficulties about prayer in relatiou to material changes need meet us when we speak of prayer in relation to spiritual influences. We ought to pray for the preservation of our friend's life when he is in peril from disease, but we do this with uncertainty as to what the will of God la, and so with full submission to whatever the decisions of that will m~y be. We II, CORINTHIANS, D 34 THE SECOND EPISTLE TO 'l'HE CORI;N'l'HIANS. [en. r. 1-24.
pray_ that our suffering friends may be in~ardly upheld, comfo1ted, and st:engthened, and in such prayers we know what the will of God must be.. Sympatbizmg prayers have a. rea.lly gracious influence on suffering souls, a.nd surely bring down Divine blessings on them. ill. THEIR THANKSGIVINGS WHEN BE wAS RESTORED, The apostle could not rejoice a.lone. He wanted others to help him sing both of "mercy a.nd jqdcrment.'1 From this subject a.rises, a.s the point of practical impression, the question-How ca.n. we help our suffering brothers and sisters? Even the Lord Jesus wanted sympathy· and the upli~ting of others' prayers for him, when he wa.s in the agony of Gethsemane; and so do his brethren. In wha.t ways can such sympathy and help find expression? Neither utterances of sympathy nor earnest prayers can suffice instead of, and as an excuse for, not rendering practical helpings, but they will be found to inspire such practical efforts; for those whom we take on our hearts to pray for we a.re most likely to take into our hands to help.-R. '1'.